Rivet feed machines



Nov. 10, 1964 Filed Feb. 27, 1963 C. E. BREWER RIVET FEED MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTX Nov. 10, 1964 c. E. BREWER RIVET FEED MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2'7, 1963 United States Patent 3,156,342 RIVET FEED MACHWES C 'tfnrtl Edmund Brewer, 19 Upton Road, Ioole, Dorset, England Filed Feb. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 261,279 Claims priority, application Great Britain Mar. 2, 1962 15 Claims. (Cl. 198-33) This invention relates to rivet feeding machines and is concerned more particularly, although not exclusively, with machines for feeding rivets to magazines, adapted, for example, for application to machines of the kind described in the specification of the patent application No. 2,095/60.

The kind of rivet referred to herein is known as a blind rivet. Rivets of this kind have a rivet portion, comprising a hollow shank and a head, and a mandrel portion extending from the head. The mandrel portion may be secured to the head, or alternatively it may have its own head which is fitted into a tubular rivet portion.

It is the object of this invention to provide a machine for feeding such rivets so that, for example, they may be fed into a magazine or the like.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a rivet feeding machine comprising a rivet aligning member and a rivet guiding member containing a slot to receive rivet shanks, the rivet aligning member being arranged to be reciprocated, and having such a disposition with respect to the rivet guiding member and having such a form that, in operation, rivets supplied thereto will assume positions such that they will pass to the slot in the rivet guiding member whereby the rivets will be delivered from the rivet guiding member in a stream one behind the other.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a prespective view of a rivet feeding machine;

FIGURE 2 shows a rivet guiding member as employed in the machine shown in FIGURE 1 and tilted to show clearly the relevant parts; and

FIGURE 3 shows a rivet aligning member, employed in the machine shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 there is shown a rivet feeding machine incorporating an inclined tray 1 onto which rivets are placed for feeding into the machine. To regulate the flow of rivets from this tray 1 a cylinder 2 is rotatably mounted below the lower end of the tray 1, the cylinder 2 being provided with a plurality of radially extending vanes 3 around its curved surface. The cylinder 2 is adapted to be rotated at a predetermined rate by the action of a pawl member 4 arranged to engage a multi-toothed gear wheel 5 drivably connected to the cylinder 2 by a chain 6 and gear 7. The pawl member 4 is eccentrically mounted on a gear wheel 8, which is arranged to be driven by an electrical motor, by way of a chain 9 and a gear wheel 1t mounted on the output shaft on the motor, which is disposed behind gear wheel 10 and is therefore not visible in the figure.

It is arranged that rivets may be fed from the clyinder 2 onto an inclined chute 11 leading, at its lower end, to three further chutes, one of which is indicated by 12, each of which chutes converges to a narrow opening. Attached to and disposed below these three chutes 12 is a rivet aligning member 13 (FIGURE 3) having in its upper surface three troughs 14 of triangular cross-sec- 3,l5,342 Patented Nov. 10, 1964 tion each of which underlies a respective one of the three chutes I2 and is arranged so that its longitudinal axis coincides with the axis of its respective chute. Each trough 14 is provided with a slot 15 along its longitudinal axis, which slot extends through the depth of the member 13 and has a width slightly greater than the diameter of a rivet mandrel. The width of each slot is enlarged at intervals by the provision of a plurality of spaced apart holes 16 which penetrate the depth of the member and each of which has a diameter slightly in excess of the diameter of the flange of a rivet head.

The upper surface of the aligning member 13 is substantially horizontal and upstanding side walls 17 (FIG- URE 1) are provided around the sides thereof to prevent rivets falling from the surface. It is possible for partitions to be placed between the troughs.

The aligning member 13 is mounted for substantially vertical adjustment on two rods, one of which is shown at 18, forming part of a frame which is adapted to be reciprocated by means of a connecting rod 19 eccentrically mounted on the above-mentioned gear wheel 8.

Mounted below the rivet aligning member 13 is an inclined rivet guiding member 26 having three shallow grooves 21 formed in its surface, each of which grooves underlies and has the same axis as a respective one of the slots 15 which pass through the aligning member 13. Each of the shallow grooves 21 is formed, along its longitudinal axis, with a slot 22 which penetrates the depth of the guiding member 20 and which has a width slightly greater than the diameter of the mandrels. These slots are provided with an enlarged part 23, so that if any mandrel of the kind having a head adapted to fit into a tubular rivet has become disengaged from its rivet, it will fall through the enlarged part 23 and hence be removed from the machin before reaching the outlet.

Preferably the lower surface of the aligning member 13 is in close proximity with or resting on the upper surface of the guiding member 20, the slots 15 in the aligning member 13 being provided with channels 24 at their lower ends, to permit the passage of the rivet portions through these enlargements.

The rivet guiding member 20 is hingedly mounted at its lower end on a frame member 25, its upper end being suported by a stiff spring 26. Such an arrangement causes vibrations to be imparted to the guiding member when the machine is in operation so that the guiding of rivets in the slots 22 is facilitated. The slots 22 lead down the guiding member 20 and are diverted, near the lower end of the member, into a single slot 27, which leads to a rivet magazine 28. The magazine 28 comprises a rotatable cylinder 29 having a plurality of slots in its surface adapted to receive the mandrels of the rivets.

When the machine is in operation rivets may be fed onto the tray 1 and will be carried by the rotating cylinder to the chutes 12, which will reciprocate with the aligning member 13. The three chutes 12 will then guide the rivets into the grooves 14 of the aligning member 13. These rivets will tend to move, as a result of the groove shape and the reciprocation, into a position Whereat they are aligned with the slots 15. Owing to the length and weight of the mandrels compared with the length and weight of the rivet shanks, the mandrel portions will hang vertically in the slots 15 until further movement causes the rivets to fall Vertically through the holes 16 in the aligning member 13.

The mandrels of the rivets, on passing through the aligning member 13 will engage with the slots 22 of the guiding member sisting this engagement, and will be guided down the slots 22 by gravity assisted by the vibration of the mem- 20, the sides of the grooves 21 asi a ber 20. On being channelled into the single slot 27 the rivets can then be passed into a slot in the magazine 28. When this magazine slot is full of rivets the cylinder 29 may be rotated by means of a knob 3t) thereby lining up a further magazine slot.

It will be apparent that numerous modifications of the apparatus herinbefore described are possible within the scope of the invention. The means feeding rivets to the aligning member 13 can take many forms; in particular the flow regulating cylinder 2 may be provided with indentations in the place of vanes 3.

Further there may be one or a plurality of chutes 12, troughs 14 and 21, and the like to feed the magazine 28.

The magazine 28 may have a table-like form with parallel loading guides, the table being adapted to be displaceable normal to the feeding direction of the guide member 26 in order that the slots may be loaded in sequence.

I claim:

1. A rivet feeding machine, for rivets having a rivet portion comprising a shank and a head and a mandrel portion extending from said head, the machine comprising; a rivet aligning member portions of which define a slot extending through said rivet aligning member, said slot having a width the dimension of which lies between the diameter of said mandrel portion and the diameter of said head and having enlargements at intervals the smallest width of which enlargements is greater than the diameter of said head; means for supplying rivets to the upper surface of said rivet aligning member; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member; and a rivet guiding member a portion of which is disposed below said rivet aligning member and portions of which define a slot having a width the dimension of which lies between the diameter of the said mandrel portion and the diameter of said head, said slot in said rivet guiding member being disposed in alignment with, and a portion of said slot in the rivet guiding member underlying, said slot in said rivet aligning member.

2. A rivet feeding machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a slot extending therethrough and enlargements in said slot at intervals therealong; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member; a rivet guiding member below said rivet aligning member; and portions of said rivet guiding member defining a slot disposed below and in alignment with said slot in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets that fall through said enlargements.

3. A rivet feeding machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a slot extending therethrough and enlargements in said slot at intervals therealong; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member comprising a frame supporting said rivet aligning member, an arm member pivotally connected to said frame, a rotatable member to which said arm member is eccentrically and pivotally mounted and drive means coupled to said rotatable member; a rivet guiding member below said rivet aligning member; and portions of said rivet guiding member defining a slot disposed below and in alignment with said slot in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets the fall through said enlargements.

4. A rivet feeding machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a slot extending therethrough and enlargements in said slot at intervals therealong; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member; a rivet guiding member below said rivet aligning member; a resilient mounting for said rivet aligning member; and portions of said rivet guiding member defining a slot disposed below and in alignment with said slot in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets that fall through said enlargements.

5. A rivet feeding machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a slot extending therethrough and enlargements in said slot at intervals therealong; means for supplying rivets to the upper surface of said rivet aligning member comprising a roller member having a plurality of circumferentially arranged compartments, drive means for rotating the roller member and a chute having an input disposed below the roller member and an output disposed above the upper surface of said rivet aligning member; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member; a rivet guiding member below said rivet aligning member; and portions of said rivet guiding member defining a slot disposed below and in alignment with said slot in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets that fall through said enlargements.

6. A rivet feeding machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a groove in the upper surface of said rivet aligning member, a slot extending through said rivet aligning member and disposed longitudinally with respect to said groove and in the bottom of said groove and enlargements in said slot at intervals therealong; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member; a rivet guiding member below said rivet aligning member; and portions of said rivet guiding member defining a slot in said rivet guiding member disposed in alignment with and below said slot in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets that fall through said enlargements.

7. A rivet feeding machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a groove in the upper surface of said rivet aligning member, a slot extending through said rivet aligning member in the bottom of said groove and enlargements in said slot at intervals therealong; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member; a rivet guiding member below said rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet guiding member defining a groove in the upper surface thereof and a slot in the bottom of said groove disposed in alignment with and below said slot in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets that fall through said enlargements.

8. A rivet feeding machine according to claim 7 and comprising means for supplying rivets to the upper surface of said rivet aligning member.

9. A rivet feeding machine, for rivets having a rivet portion comprising a shank and a head and a mandrel portion extending from said head, the machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a groove in the upper surface of said rivet aligning member, a slot in the bottom of said groove extending through said rivet aligning member and having a width the dimension of which lies between the diameter of said mandrel portion and the diameter of said head, and also defining enlargements at intervals in said slot the smallest width of said enlargements being greater than the diameter of the said head; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member; a rivet guiding member below said rivet aligning member; portions of the rivet guiding member which define a groove in the upper surface thereof and a slot, in the bottom of the groove, having a width the dimension of which lies between the diameter of said mandrel and the diameter of said head and disposed in alignment with and below said slot in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets which fall through said enlargements.

10. A rivet feeding machine according to claim 9 and comprising means for supplying rivets to the upper surface of said rivet aligning member.

11. A rivet feeding machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a plurality of slots extending therethrough and enlargements at intervals therealong; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member; a rivet guiding member below said rivet aligning member; and portions of said rivet guiding member defining a plurality of slots disposed in alignment with and below associated ones of said slots in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets which fall through said enlargements.

12. A rivet feed machine according to claim 11 and comprising means for supplying rivets to the upper surface of said rivet aligning member consisting of a roller member having a plurality of circumferentially arranged compartments, drive means for rotating the roller member and a chute having an input disposed below the roller member and an output disposed above the upper surface of said rivet aligning member.

13. A rivet feeding machine according to claim 11 and comprising a resilient mounting for said rivet guiding member.

14. A rivet feeding machine, for rivets having a rivet portion comprising a shank and a head and a mandrel portion extending from said head, the machine comprising: a rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet aligning member defining a plurality of grooves in the upper surface of said rivet aligning member, and defining a slot disposed in the base of each of said grooves, extending longitudinally thereof, having a width the dimension of which lies between the diameter of said mandrel and the diameter of said head and also defining enlargements at intervals the smallest width of said enlargements being greater than the diameter of said head; chute means for supplying rivets to the upper surfaces of said rivet aligning member; means for reciprocating said rivet aligning member comprising a frame supporting said rivet aligning member, an arm member pivotally connected to said frame, a rotatable member to which said arm member is eccentrically and pivotally mounted and drive means coupled to said rotatable member; a resiliently mounted rivet guiding member below the rivet aligning member; portions of said rivet guiding member defining a plurality of grooves in the upper surface thereof and a slot in the bottom of each of said grooves, having a width the dimension of which lies between the diameter of said mandrel and the diameter of said head and disposed in alignment with and below an associated one of said slots in said rivet aligning member for receiving rivets which fall through said enlargements.

15. A rivet feeding machine according to claim 14 and comprising a portion of said rivet guiding member defining a single output slot therein coupled to said slots in said rivet guiding member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,615,137 Ruby Ian. 18, 1927 

1. A RIVET FEEDING MACHINE, FOR RIVETS HAVING A RIVET PORTION COMPRISING A SHANK AND A HEAD AND A MANDREL PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID HEAD, THE MACHINE COMPRISING; A RIVET ALIGNING MEMBER PORTIONS OF WHICH DEFINE A SLOT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID RIVET ALIGNING MEMBER, SAID SLOT HAVING A WIDTH THE DIMENSION OF WHICH LIES BETWEEN THE DIAMETER OF SAID MANDREL PORTION AND THE DIAMETER OF SAID HEAD AND HAVING ENLARGEMENTS AT INTERVALS THE SMALLEST WIDTH OF WHICH ENLARGEMENTS IS GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID HEAD; MEANS FOR SUPPLYING RIVETS TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID RIVET ALIGNING MEMBER; MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID RIVET ALIGNING MEMBER; AND A RIVET GUIDING MEMBER A PORTION OF WHICH IS DISPOSED BELOW SAID RIVET ALIGNING MEMBER AND PORTIONS OF WHICH DEFINE A SLOT HAVING A WIDTH THE DIMENSION OF WHICH LIES BETWEEN THE DIAMETER OF THE SAID MANDREL PORTION AND THE DIAMETER OF SAID HEAD, SAID SLOT IN SAID RIVET GUIDING MEMBER BEING DISPOSED IN ALIGNMENT WITH, AND A PORTION OF SAID SLOT IN THE RIVET GUIDING MEMBER UNDERLYING, SAID SLOT IN SAID RIVET ALIGNING MEMBER. 